Dawn E. Evans

Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Infraorbital Sinus With Fungal Tracheitis and Ingluvitis in an Adult Solomon Eclectus Parrot (Eclectus roratus solomonensis)

Abstract Squamous cell carcinoma of the infraorbital sinus was diagnosed in a 5-year-old Solomon Island eclectus parrot (Eclectus roratus solomonensis) that presented with exophthalmos of the right globe and an ulcerative mass of 2-months duration at the right commissure of the beak. The mass was 2.5 × 2 × 2 cm and contained caseous exudate. The ulcerative lesion was surgically debulked, but the bird died and was submitted for necropsy. Histopathologic examination of the infraorbital sinus revealed squamous cell carcinoma with no evidence of metastasis. The trachea was heavily infiltrated with thick, septate fungal hyphae, and evidence of fungal angioinvasion was observed in the trachea and muscular layer of the crop.

Congenital Cardiovascular Anomalies, Including Ventricular Septal Defects, in 2 Cockatoos

Abstract Cardiovascular anomalies have been reported rarely in psittacine birds. This report describes 2 cockatoos, each presenting with a heart murmur, tachycardia, and a bounding pulse. Clinical signs associated with these patients included cyanosis of the cere and, in 1 bird, ascites. Echocardiographic evaluations of both birds suggested ventricular septal defects, which corresponded to radiographic evidence of an enlarged cardiac silhouette. Pathologic evaluation revealed a ventricular septal defect and persistent truncus arteriosus in an umbrella cockatoo (Cacatua alba), whereas a Moluccan cockatoo (Cacatua moluccensis) had a subvalvular septal defect and aortic hypoplasia. Congenital cardiovascular anomalies should be considered when young psittacine birds are presented with heart murmurs and signs of circulatory dysfunction.

West Nile virus infection in a sun conure (Aratinga solstitialis).

ABSTRACT A 2-year-old sun conure (Aratinga solstitialis) was examined because of acute lethargy and depression. Physical examination revealed severe weakness with ventroflexion of the head and neck and seizure episodes precipitated by handling. Empirical and supportive care was instituted, and serial diagnostic testing revealed no specific diagnosis or etiology. Antemortem test results for West Nile virus were negative. After 2 weeks of a deteriorating clinical condition, euthanasia was elected and necropsy was performed. Gross examination revealed no significant lesions; however, histologic examination of brain tissue revealed perivascular cuffing of mononuclear inflammatory cells in the cerebrum and mild perivascular, lymphocytic, and plasmacytic infiltrates scattered in the grey matter of the cervical spinal cord. Viral isolation of brain tissue was positive for West Nile virus.

Renal leiomyosarcoma in a cat

Renal leiomyosarcoma was diagnosed in a 10-year-old Domestic Shorthair cat with a 3-year history of clinically managed, chronic renal disease. Sudden death was preceded by a brief episode of mental dullness and confusion. At postmortem examination, the gross appearance of the left kidney was suggestive of hydronephrosis, and a nephrolith was present in the contralateral kidney. However, histology revealed an infiltrative, poorly differentiated, spindle cell sarcoma bordering the grossly cavitated area. Neoplastic cells were immunoreactive for vimentin and smooth muscle actin, which led to a diagnosis of renal leiomyosarcoma; neoplastic cells were not immunoreactive for desmin. Leiomyosarcoma arising in the kidney is a rare occurrence in humans and an even rarer occurrence in veterinary medicine with no prior cases being reported in cats in the English literature. The macroscopic appearance of the tumor at postmortem examination was misleadingly suggestive of hydronephrosis as a result of the large cavitation and may be similar to particularly unusual cases of renal leiomyosarcomas in humans that have a cystic or cavitated appearance.

Spinal lymphoma and pulmonary filariasis in a pet domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus).

Spinal lymphoma and concurrent pulmonary filariasis are reported in a pet rabbit. The rabbit presented for pelvic limb paralysis resulting from extradural spinal lymphoma, presumably rising from the body of the sixth lumbar vertebra. The neoplasm was subsequently immunophenotyped as a B-cell lymphoma. Pulmonary filariasis was an incidental finding at necropsy.

Necrotizing Infiltrative Lipomatosis in a Miniature Zebu Bull (Bos primigenius indicus).

Lipomatosis is described in a miniature Zebu, Bos primigenius indicus, bull that died of perianesthetic complications. This is the first pathologic description of lipomatosis that we are aware of in this species and breed of cattle. Infiltration of multiple visceral organs is described and depicted along with comparison to previously published cases of lipomatosis in other breeds of cattle.

Tracheal Hypoplasia with a Discrete Subaortic Septal Ridge in a Rottweiler Puppy

Concurrent tracheal hypoplasia and discrete subaortic stenosis are described in a 12-week-old Rottweiler puppy that presumably died of pulmonary edema. A brief literature review and comparison to previously published cases of tracheal hypoplasia in other breeds is presented along with a description of a subaortic septal ridge and comparison to the analogous condition in humans.

What is your diagnosis? Abdominal fluid from a dog

A 5-year-old female spayed Dachshund was evaluated at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics for chronic diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and decreased appetite for 8 weeks. On physical examination, the dog was bright, alert, and responsive and in poor body condition. Cutaneous lesions were not found, and abdominal palpation was within normal limits. A CBC and serum biochemical profile were performed (Table 1). Abdominal ultrasonographic examination revealed moderate anechoic abdominal effusion, corrugation of the small intestine, including the duodenum, and marked thickening of the muscularis layer with preserved layering of the duodenal wall. The liver was hyperechoic with rounded margins, and the spleen was diffusely heterogeneous. Fineneedle aspirates and a tru-cut biopsy of the liver were collected. Endoscopic examination revealed an irregular and thickened, ulcerated, pale duodenal mucosa, and multiple pinch biopsies of duodenum were obtained. Abdominal fluid was blood-tinged, but cleared after centrifugation, and had a total nucleated cell count of 4800/lL and refractometric total protein concentration of 4.1 g/dL. Smears of concentrated abdominal fluid were examined (Figure 1). Figure 1. Concentrated abdominal fluid from a dog. Wright–Giemsa, bar = 10 lm. Table 1. Selected CBC and serum biochemical results from a Dachshund with abdominal effusion.

Entomophthoromycosis and mucormycosis as causes of pneumonia in Vietnamese potbellied pigs

Two Vietnamese potbellied pigs (Sus scrofa) had respiratory disease and, on autopsy, both pigs had large masses in the lungs and thoracic cavity. Microscopically, pulmonary and pleural masses contained large areas with hyphae surrounded by hypereosinophilic cellular debris rimmed by abundant eosinophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and histiocytes with occasional multinucleate giant cells. The hypereosinophilic debris usually formed tight cuffs, or “sleeves” around the hyphae, compatible with Splendore-Hoeppli–like material. The fungal organisms were determined by PCR to be Conidiobolus incongruus in one pig and Mucor circinelloides in the other. Entomophthoromycosis and mucormycosis should be included in the differential diagnoses for swine pneumonia, particularly when there is evidence of granulomatous pulmonary masses and pleural effusion with eosinophilic inflammation.

Aberrant Migration of Cuterebra Larvae in 2 Domestic Rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus)

Abstract This report describes 2 cases of cuterebriasis in an atypical host, the domestic rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Case 1 describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of ophthalmomyiasis externa caused by a bot fly larva. Case 2 outlines the clinical syndromes, postmortem, and histopathological findings associated with Cuterebra larval migrans through the respiratory and central nervous systems. In both cases the presence of the parasite caused significant debilitating disease in the host animals, with fatal consequences in one patient.